Simple Table

Posted on 30 Oct 2013

The soccer tables here in the States come in many forms. True to many aspects of soccer coverage and media, there is a hybrid of American and international formats. Some list Wins – Losses – Draws, others Wins – Draws – Losses, some don’t list Games Played; the most important category, Points, may or may not be listed at all. I tend to prefer the international approach to most things, and the history of MLS informs us that nearly all attempts to Americanize the sport have not helped (the absence of the draw back in the early days being the chief sin). I do like the All Star game, and if a soccer league does not use promotion/relegation, and the Open Cup remains periphery, then a playoff season and championship match are worthwhile. (The TV ratings would suggest otherwise.) Back to the table. As the regular season came to a close, I found that most of my app and website tables left me wanting. Aside from the above matters, some were too cluttered, or didn’t cater to the MLS tiebreakers (Wins is the first tiebreaker, then Goals For), or didn’t clearly show the playoff break. Being pedantic as I am, here is the simple table I would employ if I were king.